Fragment from the First Redaction
Of The Book Of Invasions (Lebor
Gabala Erenn): Preserved in
The Book Of Leinster (c.1150)

Lebor Gabala Erenn (Book Of Invasions)

The Lebor Gabala Erenn, usually called
The Book of the Invasions of Ireland, is a a "synthetic history"
comprising a compilation of stories about the origins of Ireland and its
people, assumed to be a blend of legends and oral history from prehistoric
times. It is one of the great mythological masterpieces in the history
of Irish art, testifying to the traditions of storytelling and oral
history in gaelic Celtic culture. The
earliest complete manuscript which survives, dates from the twelfth century
CE, but evidence indicates that the original text was composed many centuries
beforehand.

Somewhat controversially, the twelfth century
manuscript places all the myths, legends, early history, and genealogies
of Irish origins within a Christian and biblical framework, starting from
the Creation.

Example of the curvilinear style of
design used in the Book of Kells,
deriving from traditional Celtic art.

According to the Lebor Gabala Erenn, Cesair
(Cessair), a granddaughter of Noah, together with her father, Bíth,
and her followers, are the first to reach Ireland but perish in the flood
shortly after. The next invasion was led by Partholon (possibly
Greek), a descendant of the biblical Magog, son of Japhet.
After overcoming the Fomor (Fomorii), a race of supernatural beings,
Partholon's tribe assumed control of the country for three centuries,
until consumed by plague. Thirty years later, Nemed, another descendant
of Magog arrived in Ireland. Allegedly from Scythia, a tribe to the North
of Greece, he and his Nemedian tribe deforested many plains in
Ireland and (like Partholon) defeated the Fomor in battle. Then Nemed
himself along with several thousand Nemedians died from the plague, after
which the remainder were ruled by and paid heavy taxes to the Fomorii.

In due course the Nemedians revolted and
besieged the fortress of Conann, King of the Fomor. During this
Battle of Conann's Tower, the Fomor king was slain, but Nemed's
son (Fergus Redside) and his Nemedian army was defeated by the
Fomorii in a surprise attack. Some seven years later, the remaining Nemedians
divided into two groups. One group went back to Scythia, another sailed
for 'the north of the world', while the final group, led by Fergus Redside
and his son Briotan remained in Ireland and the rest of the British
Isles. According to the Lebor Gabala Erenn, the Britons are descended
from the third group.

Time passes. Then the first group returned
to Ireland from their homeland, escaping persecution from the Greeks.
They arrived in Ireland in three cohorts known as the Fir Bolg,
the Fir Domhnann and the Gaileoin. Gathering together at
Uisneach in County Meath, they divided Ireland into five
provinces and set up kingships. (Note: some historians associate the Gaileoin
with the Laighin, the tribe from which Leinster (Laighean) is derived,
and the Fir Domhnann with the Dumnonii of Cornwall and the Damnonii of
Scotland.

The next invaders of Ireland were a supernatural
race called the Tuatha De Danann, who, in contradistinction to
all other races named in the Lebor Gabála Erenn who conquered Ireland,
are described in great detail. Tall, powerful, fair-skinned and red-haired,
they had an aura of superiority about them, and established themselves
around Bru na Boinne, the Boyne Valley, the location of Newgrange
and other great megaliths from
the late Stone Age.

According to Lebor Gabala Erenn, these
Tuatha De Danann were descendants of Jobhath, the third son of
Nemed, who left Ireland after the Battle of Conann's Tower against the
Fomorii. After spending time in Greece, during possibly the late Bronze
Age or Iron Age, they then meandered
across Europe settling first in Scandinavia, and then in Scotland (Alba).
Determined to reclaim their rightful Irish heritage from the Fomor and
the Fir Bolg, they developed four magical items to give them victory:
the Stone of Destiny (Lia Fail), a throne capable of declaiming
whether the king about to be crowned was indeed the proper ruler of Ireland;
the Spear of Lugh, possession of which guaranteed victory; the
Sword of Nuada (Cliamh Solais) which, once wielded would
overcome any opponent; and the Cauldron of the Dagda, capable of
feeding anyone and everyone.

The Tuatha De Danann were lauded in many
sources, being described as brave, handsome, intelligent, powerful, skilled
in music and true men of art. In any event, they ruled Ireland until the
advent of Celtic invaders known as the Gaels.

The last set of invaders described by the
Lebor Gabala Erenn, are the Milesians (Celts?), who took their
name from Mil Easpain (soldier of Spain), whose real name was Golamh.
Curiously the arrival of the Milesians from Iberia is consistent with
what we know of the movements of Celts during the Iron-Age in first
millennium BCE.

In summary, irrespective of its historical
accuracy, as a work of literature the Book of Invasions of Ireland represents
an important element in the history of Irish art.

The Royal
Irish Academy has a seventeenth version of the Lebor Gabala Erenn.
Written in Irish at the Convent of Lisgoole in Lough Erne by Micel
O Cleirigh, assisted by Fearfeasa O Maolchonaire, Cucoigriche
O Cleirigh, Cucoigriche O Duibhgeannain (compilers of the Annals
of the Four Masters) and Maguire's own chronicler, Giolla Patraic O
Luinin, it was commissioned by Brian Ruadh Meguidir (Maguire),
Baron of Inniskillen.